Long Awaited Love: A Lily and James Romance
by DemetersChild
Summary: “Because Lily,” he smiled down at her while he tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear and then letting his fingers run down her cheek bone, “Because you are the one that I love."
1. The Dream

It's so dark and quiet. Not a single noise to be heard. But then a dim light illuminates a dark alley and a young girl, who looks to be seven, can be seen standing in the middle of the alley. Knockturn Alley to be exact. Tall, dark buildings with dusty windows filled with horrific displays towered around her, casting a shadow upon her pale face. She was crying silently and there were tears streaming down her slightly flushed cheeks. Her long, wavy black hair stuck to her wet face. People passed her by as if she wasn't even there. As if she was simply another shadow. A woman, with a long nose and large, bulging eyes carrying a platter of what looked like still beating hearts, walked right by her bumping her shoulder, nearly knocking the poor girl over. But the witch simply ignored it and continued on her way as if nothing had happened at all

Suddenly the girl wasn't crying anymore. Her cheeks were pale and dry and her hair flowed beside her with the light breeze that passed through the alley. She wiped her glistening green eyes with the back of her hand and a sly smile appeared on her face. Then, her once beautiful eyes glowed red and, with her head still lowered, she looked up. An ear-piercing shriek filled the air as Lily's whole focus seemed to zoom in on her.

Lily bolted upright in her bed, screaming very loudly. She stopped and looked around realizing where she was. She saw red velvet hangings closed around her four-poster bed and through the hangings she saw a crescent moon shining down on the Hogwarts ground and causing a streak of light to pass across her sheets. She hoped desperately that she hadn't awoken the four other girls around her, who were all sleeping in their own four-poster beds with their hangings shut around them as well.

Cold sweat was dripping of her forehead and down her face. She simply wiped it away with a shaky hand. Just then, her hangings were ripped open from the outside and she saw three terrified looking faces staring right at her.

"Lily what's wrong?" Emma Lee asked her with a worried and fear-filled voice. Her curly brown hair hung gently in front of her concerned hazel eyes. The other two girls, Carly and Amber, were speechless, looking very frightened.

Lily wiped her forehead again and smiled weakly, still shaking uncontrollably. "N-nothing. I'm fine," she managed to stammer out with another forced smile that she hoped was convincing. "Just a nightmare is all." At your words Carly and Amber's faces relaxed but Emma Lee's expression grew more concerned. Amber gave a somewhat nervous laugh and said, "I thought someone was attacking you or something."

She smiled at Lily before retreating back into her bed. Carly followed her and slipped into the bed right across from hers, pulling her own hangings shut. But Emma Lee stayed by Lily's side, the terror on her face growing with each passing second.

"Is it the same one," she whispered in a shaky voice, "The same at before?" Lily nodded her head slowly, her face still terribly pale. She had been having the same nightmare since a month ago. The month right before her sixth year at Hogwarts started. She just couldn't understand why she was having this horrible dream. But little did she know that she was soon going to find out. Well, more like meet someone who will help her find out. The most surprising thing about this someone is that she is sleeping in a bed about twenty feet away from her.

Emma Lee wiped her long, auburn hair from her face, where it was sticking because of the sweat, and tucked it away behind her ear. She smiled at you with an obviously forced smile, "I wish there was a way for me to help you." Lily smiled at her and this time it was real. Lily had always appreciated the help and concern she got from her best friend, Emma Lee Warrer, and when this all started you were especially grateful.

"Like I said, it's just a nightmare. Nothing real," Lily reassured her. Lily's green eyes sparkled with thanks and Emma Lee stood, wishing you a goodnight. Lily saw her climb into her bed across from her own as she closed her hangings and lay back down, falling into a dreamless sleep.

Lily awoke several hours later to find the rising sun shining through the window, instead of the moon. She pulled the hangings around her bed open and hopped up feeling much better then last night. She slipped on her soft white bathrobe, with the Hogwarts crest on the upper right side, and headed off towards the prefects' bathroom for a shower.

Lily Evans and Remus Lupin had been made prefects in their fifth year. Lily had been so overwhelmed with joy when she received the letter and the badge with her school supplies list. In fact, she was so happy that she hugged her younger, muggle sister, Petunia, who quickly pushed her off with a disgusted look on her face. She simply ignored her reaction and ran off to tell her already proud parents.

She whistled happily as she made her way to the prefects' bathroom and even waved hello to a girl with long, wavy black hair and gorgeous green eyes that Lily had never seen before. Just before she reached the end of the corridor she had an odd feeling that she had seen that girl before. Then an image of the young girl looking up at her in her nightmare flashed before her eyes and she swerved around to look at the girl. She turned just in time to see her long hair, gray uniform skirt, and red & gold knee-high stockings and black shoes disappear behind the corner. Lily blinked once and shook her head.

i/> I'm just tired. That couldn't have been the same girl. She was much too old. /i> But even her own thoughts didn't convince her. She turned back around and finished her way to the bathroom. She made her way to the statue of Boris the Bewildered and leaned closely to the door on the right before whispering the password ("Orange Delight"). The door creaked open and she walked in quickly, shutting the door behind her. She walked down another hall and through one more door to the girls' bathroom. Even though Lily had been in the prefects' bathroom countless times, she was still dazed by its wonder.

The first time she had come to this bathroom she had been shown here by the Head Boy and Head Girl, Arther Weasley and Molly Morgan, Arther showing the boys theirs' of course. Arther and Molly had been a couple at for a long time now, ever since their fourth year at Hogwarts, and what a couple they were. They were both Gryffindors with blazing red hair. Arther was tall and thin and wore round glasses that often slipped to the end of his nose. He had to constantly push them back up so he could see of his toffee brown eyes. Molly, without the after-affects of six children, was actually pretty thin with her hair in a bob right at her chin and light brown eyes. She had an occasional freckle here or there but they would disappear in the near future. They had both graduated from Hogwarts with excellent scores and from what she has heard Arther was now working for the Ministry Of Magic.

Lily looked around the rather large room, her eyes open in amazement. Each time she walked in there it looked more and more beautiful. There was a candlelit chandelier handing from the ceiling and emitting a soft glow upon the room. Everything in the room seemed to be made of white marble that shined in the light. The floors, the sinks, the toilets even! And right in the middle was what looked like a rectangular swimming pool, also made of marble, with about one hundred golden taps surrounding it, each with a different colored jewel on it. And surprisingly enough, there was a diving board.

A single, golden-framed painting was hung on the wall. In it was a mermaid sitting on a large rock, emerging from the blue ocean. She was humming and brushing her bleach blonde hair merrily. When she noticed Lily was there she simply smiled at her and then continued brushing her long hair.

Lily finally walked over to the bath, grabbing a fluffy, white towel that was also embroidered with the Hogwarts crest on her way there. She knelt down by a few taps on the edge. A blue jeweled one had a label that read "water" and a white-jeweled one next to it read "unscented bubble bath. Those were the only two out of all of them that had labels. The others you just had to test to see what they were. Lily turned on the white one and watched as the large bath slowly filled with steamy, hot water and enormous, white bubbles. A few bubbles strayed off and floated up but popped soon into smaller bubbles that popped again into smaller bubbles that popped into smaller bubbles yet again. This continued until the air was filled with miniscule bubbles. Eventually the tub filled and Lily turned off the tap. Looking around to make sure no one was around, even though she was sure no one was, she took off her bathrobe, nightgown, and undergarments before slipping into the over-sized, bubbled-filled bath with a soothing sigh.

"This is so..." She trailed off, not being able to come up with a word great enough to describe what 'this' exactly was. She lay with her head back on the marble edge and let herself slip deeper into the comforting sensation.

Suddenly the door burst open and was then slammed shut, causing a loud, echoing boom. Lily heard the click of the lock as she jumped at the loud and surprising noise. Looking towards the door she saw the last person she wanted to see, especially in a prefect bathroom. James Potter. She gasped and sunk into the water to make sure everything from her neck down was covered.

"James, you had better explain why you're in a prefect bathroom, especially a girls' prefect bathroom, before I punish you." James, having not noticed her being there, spun around so fast he almost fell over. His gaze met Lily's glare and he then noticed she was in the bubble bath. His cheeks flushed red with embarrassment and he laughed nervously.

"Well you see, I was using a hovering charm on old Snively and Filch came around so I had to run for it because if I got into anymore trouble he promised me that he'd hang me from the ceiling by my ankles. And I ran to the closet and last place he'd think me to be which was in here. And I suppose in my rush I came into the girls' bathroom instead of the boys'." He ruffled his already messy black hair and it fell over his brilliant, glassesless (he has glasses but just doesn't wear them. He doesn't have such bad vision so he can see mostly fine without them.), hazel eyes.

Lily accidentally smiled at him but noticed her mistake and the stern look appeared on her face once more. She hadn't noticed quickly enough because James saw it and smiled himself.

"What are you smiling at?" Lily snapped. "Turn around so I can get dressed." He did as he was told and Lily got out of the bath, dressing herself quickly and putting her bathrobe over her shoulders last. She hadn't bothered with drying herself so she was dripping wet and there was a large amount of bubbles in her hair and running down her slim legs.

"All right. I'm finished." James turned back around and was still grinning his infamous grin that Lily absolutely hated. She hated it because it always made her knees weak and her stomach flutter. She didn't know why because James was a big pain in her life and ever since the incident last year she'd grown a bigger disliking for him. Even so, she always felt so weak when he smiled at her like that and she was sure it showed. Lily, trying to push back her own smile, simply glared at him again. She walked over to him with a very angry look on her face.

"I suppose you think that just because I'm somewhat your friend that I'll just let you off right?"

"That's be very much appreciated," he practically begged.

"Well," she sighed deeply, feeling she was going to deeply regret this, "I am. But only because I'm feeling terrible and don't feel like going through the whole detention thing. I will take away five points from Gryffindor so I don't feel like I'm totally ignoring it." She looked very tired indeed. James grinned wider and gave her a friendly hug that doubled the weakness in her knees and the fluttering in her stomach.

"Thanks a ton Lils!" She pushed him off with those words, causing him to stumble backwards.

"Do not ever call me 'Lils'! And get out of here before I change my mind on the detention." Again, James did as he was told with out any objection. When he was gone Lily leaned up against the cold, white wall with her eyes closed, sighing. At that moment she looked very worn out and quite pale, as if she'd just taken ill. Most of the bubbles had dripped from her hair and ran down her legs to form a large, bubbly puddle underneath and surrounding her feet.

"Whoa Evans, you do look terrible." James had returned without Lily noticing. She jumped at his voice and her eyes flew open.

"James," she hissed, "what are you doing back here?!" His usually playful eyes were now serious and full of concern.

"I just came back to get my watch. It must've slipped off my wrist." He quickly picked it up off the ground but didn't leave.

"Well, are you going?" Lily asked, a bit impatient.

"Are you okay Evans? Do you need me to take you to the Hospital Wing or something?" Lily shook her head and looked up at him with dull green eyes.

"I'll be fine." He didn't look convinced but he didn't push the subject anymore. He left and Lily resumed her position up against the blank wall.


	2. Lily's Problem and James' Confession

"Oh no! I'm going to be late! Prefects are not late to classes, especially their first classes of the year!!" Lily sped down the corridors and whipped around corners, her long, red hair flailing behind her. She finally reached the depths of the dungeons and stopped right in front of the door to her first class. She held a stitch in her side as she caught her breath and then fixing her hair quickly. She flattened her clothing with her hands before opened the large, oak door and slipping into the rather cold classroom, looking flushed and very out of breath.

Luckily for her, Professor Kloric, the potions master, was busy kindling the fire. He was a tall man with short, balding brown hair, piercing gray eyes, and a rather long, pointed nose.

Lily took a seat in the only empty one, which just happened to be beside James. She didn't even give him a glance as she took out her books, quills, ink, and rolls of parchment. She folded her hands together and set them in her lap, waiting for class to begin.

James was quite used to being ignored by Lily but that didn't stop him from talking to her. "Perfect Prefects aren't supposed to be late to classes. It sets a bad example for the others students." He grinned at her and she didn't bather to look his way. Remus, who was sitting on the other side of James, elbowed him in his side. Remus noticed how out of it you seemed and told James.

"Nonsense. I spoke to her earlier this morning and she said she was fine," James said to his dear friend who just happened to be the one who gave him the password to the prefects' bathroom. James already knew that Lily wasn't herself. He simply pretended not to notice since she had told him off before. He turned back to her and saw that she had laid her head down on her arms that were folded over each other one the table top.

Lily had been staring off into space, making sure she was looking away from the Slytherins whom they had double potions with. Suddenly James' face appeared in front of her as he put his head down as well, and as surprised as she was she didn't even flinch.

His hazel eyes were filled with concern just as they had been earlier in the bathroom. The two of them seemed to just stare at each other, not speaking at all until Lily finally said something, "What is it you want from me?" James looked hurt and showed it as he answered in an offended voice.

"I'm just worried about you Lils." She simply stared at him, her usually bright and livid eyes were dull and almost lifeless. Now James was even more worried. She hadn't said a thing about him calling her 'Lils'.

"What happened to you over the summer Evans? I mean first you don't give me a detention when last year you handed them out to me for all the things the teachers didn't catch me doing. And now, you don't try to beat me when I call you 'Lils'!"

"What do you care?" She snapped back at him and turned her head the other way. Professor Kloric had finished with the fire and turned around to see Lily with her head down.

"Miss Evans! I will not have you sleeping in my class. If you're not feeling well go up to the hospital wing." He looked at her sternly as she raised her head and nodded. James quickly raised his hand.

"Professor, could I take her up there? She seems a bit weak." Lily shot him a dirty look that Professor Kloric either didn't see or chose to ignore as he dismissed them with a simple wave of his hand.

Lily got out of her seat and exited the classroom followed by James. Lily was walking away rather quickly and James was trying his best to keep up with her.

"I care," he started as he finally reached her, grabbing her wrist and stopping, causing her to spin around and face him, "because you're my friend and I'm worried about you." Lily stared up at him, her eyes blank with no sign of emotion.

"Yeah, because you've suddenly taken an interest in how I feel," she retorted coldly.

"Lily," he gaped at her in disbelief, "When have I not cared how you felt?" Lily scoffed, "That's easy. About every time you've picked on that poor Slytherin, Serverus, and not ever taken time to notice how I hate that. And all the times you've ever asked me out. You've never cared how that made me feel!" She was almost yelling now and was having a hard time keeping her voice down. Oddly enough, it seemed as though no one in any of the classrooms could hear them.

"You've never told me it bothered you," he responded simply.

"I shouldn't have to! But since you seem to want to know now, I'll tell you! It makes me feel hated. In fact I know I'm hated! All your little fan girls despise me. They're practically set out to kill! There are plenty of girls in this school who are madly in love with you. Why not stalk one of them? Why me?"

James smiled and shook his head as if this was the stupidest question she could have ever asked him. "Because Lily," he smiled down at her while he tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear and then letting his fingers run down her cheek bone, "Because you are the one that I love. I love everything about you. Your flaming red hair and gorgeous green eyes that shine no matter if you're happy or angry. I love those rare smiles you give me and the way you yell at me when I do something wrong or stupid. But mostly, I love the way you don't hate me no matter how bad I annoy you or how much of an arrogant prat I am."

Lily's expression had softened with each of his words until she was looking up at him in a way she never had before. Her eyes were full of appreciation and respect, instead of anger. For once in her whole life, Lily felt truly special.

His grip on her arm loosened and he looked down at her with loving eyes. "Now would you like to tell me what's bothering you?" He sounded very hopeful and just as Lily opened her mouth to answer a very sweet and gently voice came from beside them.

"Excuse me, I'm a new 6th year here and I'm a bit lost. I was wondering if one of you could help me to the Potions classroom. And seeing as how you're a prefect," she said referring to Lily, "I really hoped you could."

They both turned their heads slowly and their eyes rested on a girl who was a little over five and a half feet tall, average sized, and had rather pale skin. Her long, wavy black hair cascaded around her and down to her lower back, and her bangs hang loosely in front of amazing green eyes. Lily instantly recognized her as the girl she had passed on her way to the bathroom and also as the girl in her nightmares. She was much older but she was unmistakable.

Lily's mouth opened in a silent scream and she stumbled backwards, falling over her own feet. She looked up at the girl in horror who, in return, looked down at her in confusion. As did James.

The girl stepped forward to try and help Lily up, but Lily backed away until she was trapped against the wall. James walked over to her and then knelt down beside her.

"Lily, what in the.." he was cut off by the stammers Lily was managing to make, "She-she's…she's…I….my dreams…" The look of horror was still displayed across her face. Suddenly the girl, who was standing a few feet away, had a new expression on her face. Instead of looking confused an understanding smile spread across her lips.

"So you're the one. I knew this was going to happen sometime but I hadn't expected it to be with one of the students here." James looked up at the girl with the same confused look. The girl noticed this and smiled wider.

"Let me explain. My name is Jade Stone and you," referring yet again to Lily, "are remembering my worst memory of my past. Your nightmares are showing you the time when I was young and my father abandoned me in Knockturn Alley, not the best place to do it but a place where almost no one would notice."

"My father was a wonderful man, but he had no choice except to leave me there. You see, he knew he was going to die soon and decided to leave me somewhere alone rather than have me live with my horrid mother. She was a witch, who was ashamed of her powers and acted like a mother. And on top of that she just didn't care about me."

"My father knew I could take care of myself but he'd also contacted his brother, my uncle, in his last living hours. My uncle then went searching for my thoughts, because my thoughts would lead him to me. And he soon found me, that's why my eyes flashed red. Not because I'm some evil demon but because that's what happens when someone taps into your thoughts."

"After he found me I lived with him and he home schooled me until now. I had decided I wanted to go here because I wanted to have classes and friends and live away from my uncle for a while since I would have to be leaving him as soon as I was old enough. He agreed to let me go and that's why I'm here."

Lily's facial expression had slowly turned from horrified, to sympathetic, and then to understanding. But James was more confused than ever.

"You'd been having nightmares? Is that why you were acting this way?" Lily looked over at him sheepishly and nodded. "Yes…well not completely. The nightmares just made me lose sleep. There are other things…" She smiled nervously and gave a weak laugh.

James stared at her in disbelief. He shook his head, not wanting to seem as though he thought she was stupid for fretting a nightmare. "What else was bothering you?"

Lily cheeks suddenly turned a deep crimson, "That's…um…not important." She then looked up at James. "How have you been entering my dreams though?" She obviously wanted to change the subject and both James and Jade noticed this.

"Well actually," came Jade's gentle voice, "I'm not sure. I suppose it has something to do with me trying to get rid of my worst memories. It was a complex spell my uncle taught me, but he told me in order to get rid of them my memories would have to go to someone else."

James looked up at her, as if he was thinking very hard about something. "But if you've passed them on to Lily, then how do you still remember them?"

Jade smiled again, "Since she has never finished seeing the memories I cannot fully pass them to her. Until she sleeps completely through the nightmare I'll still have the memories and she'll continue to dream them. But as soon as she does then we'll both forget them. I never meant for them to be sent to her though. I wanted to send them to my mother and have her always remember them but direct sending is much too difficult for me." She laughed nervously and hoped they understood. But then a single pair of running footsteps could be heard, echoing through the empty halls.

Authors Note: Okay, last time I posted this someone asked me if Jade would just tell Lily her worst secret that openly and in front of James. Well I told her that Jade felt that whoever was receiving her memories deserves to know everything about them. And being a girl that sends her memories to a random person she didn't mind having James know too. So in other words, she's a very open girl!

I also have a reveiw responce to the only one that reveiwed -tear-:

Snowflake- Don't worry, I'll remember that I'm great and gifted. And you're right, I did put a lot of time into it. I must've written everything over three times. In a notebook, again in the notebook, and then on the computer. So I'm glad you noticed!! Thanks for the reveiw!

Everyone remember that I LOVE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISM!! But I hate people just telling me it sucks and not telling me why...so constructive critism equalsgood

saying it sucks with no reason equalsbad

Sarah


	3. The Real Prediction

The three of them turned towards the sound just as Sirius Black was coming around the corner. There was a look of horror on his handsome face and his mass of shaggy black hair was pointing out in odd directions like James's usually did. He stopped running, very out of breath, as he saw them.

"Saw Divination teacher...made i real /i prediction...said my best friends die and then 12 muggles...blame me...the guilty in league with Voldemort...a spy..." He finished and bent double, unable to breathe.

Jade looked at him as if he were a mad, Lily's eye were full of fear again, and James was almost positive it was a prank. But then, not even Sirius joked about Voldemort.

"Calm down mate. What did the old bat say again?" Sirius had recovered his breath and he was looking up at James with an expression he had never seen on Sirius before. Fear.

"The Divination teacher, I met her in the hall on my way here and she started talking to me about the i Sight /i and suddenly she went all stiff and her eyes rolled to the back of her head as her mouth fell open." He took a deep breath and continued, "She started saying something in and odd voice. She said that a spy of Voldemort was being born in this castle and that in years to come he would sell out his friends and then while he's on the run he'd kill 12 muggles and I'd be blamed for it and get sent to Azkaban. And the guilty guy would escape and run away like a coward. She said he'd go into hiding for twelve years while I sat in Azkaban for twelve." He shuddered as he said the last words and then sank to the floor, leaning up against the wall. "When she came back to normal and I asked her about it she said she didn't know what I was talking about

James didn't know whether to believe him or not. He knew Sirius wouldn't joke about anything like that but what he was saying seemed too far-fetched. One more look at Sirius's horrorstruck face seemed to push aside all his doubt.

"Look mate, that woman is crazy and old. She probably just dozed off right there in the hall and was talking in her sleep. It's nothing to worry about." But Sirius wasn't listening. The fear as left his eyes and a new expression replaced it. It seemed to be awe but James hadn't a clue as to what Sirius would be amazed about. He found out soon enough.

"You m'lady are the most beautiful creature I have ever set eyes upon." Sirius was off the floor and right in front of Jade, holding her hand and bringing it up for him to kiss. His lips pressed softly against the back of her hand and his eyes never left hers.

James, along with Lily, stared at him in disbelief. Neither of them could understand how he could go form frightened to love struck so quickly.

Jade giggled and a soft tinge of crimson appeared on her pale cheeks. Sirius's charm was obviously working on this young woman as it did on all the other who swooned over Sirius. Except this time, it seemed that Sirius was doing the swooning.

"Pardon my rudeness Miss." Still holding her hand gently in his, he gave a polite bow, "I am Sirius Black. It has been quite a pleasure running into you like this." He kissed her hand once again before letting go.

Jade looked absolutely flatted and she curtsied in return. "Jade Stone. The pleasure is mine." She smiled at him and James looked disgusted. Never had he seen Sirius act this way. Not once!

During these few events a large amount of time had padded and before any of them knew what was happening the bell had rung and the corridors were filling with loud and hungry students.

James helped Lily up and the four of them joined the crowd of Gryffindors heading up to the common room to drop their things off before lunch.

Sirius couldn't keep his eyes off Jade, who couldn't stop giggling and Lily and James couldn't stop laughing at the two of them. Lily didn't look so tired or ill anymore, but no matter how much she tried she couldn't hide that something was still bothering her. Especially from James.

Jade and Sirius, being the only one's with things to drop off, went into the common room and then up to their seperate dormitories. Lily and James waited outside for them, but after a little while James stomach growled loudly.

"Do ya think we could just head down there? They can find their way and I'm sure Sirius wouldn't mind the alone time with Jade." He smiled at the thought of Sirius swooning. That just didn't happen often enough.

Lily shrugged, thinking James wouldn't mind the alone time with her himself, "I s'pose so." And with that they both headed off towards lunch.

A/N:I tried to post it earlier and I was sure I did but I suppose not. Oh well, it's out now. I know it's short but I hope you like it anyway.


	4. Lily's Leprechauns

Lily and James I A/N:I dunno why but when you put the names together I always think 'Lily and James' sound better than 'James and Lily.' Am I the only one? /I walk down the now empty corridors as everyone is already in the Great Hall enjoying a very delicious lunch. They walk in silence for a while until James tried and failed to bring up conversation. After that they fall silent again.

Lily's arms were crossed and she looked as if she was in a daze. It was a good thing James was there with her because she would be so zoned out that she almost ran into wall, suits of armor, statues, and doors countless time. Each time she would be very close to running into one he would take her shoulders and change her direction and she would keep walking as if she'd never been touched.

She was obviously thinking of something and James was very sure of this. He himself was staring at her the whole time trying to figure out what she was thinking. Of course he wasn't so out of it that he didn't watch where he was going, but most of the time his eyes were on her.

"Lily?" Lily jumped as she heard her name being called and wheeled around looking for who'd said it. She must've looked at James three times before realizing it was him.

"Yeah, what is it?" She sounded more coldly then she meant to after being snapped out of her thoughts so suddenly. He looked a bit nervous as he was afraid she might bite his head off but he answered nonetheless.

"I-I was just wondering what you were thinking about. It looked like something was bothering you," he said quite innocently.

She sighed deeply and looked at him, obviously searching for an answer to his question. A lie.

"I was just thinking about my sister back home. Wondering why she hated me so much." She hoped it didn't seem like too much of a lie but James knew it was instantly. In the third year Lily had told one of her friends about her sister and told her that she didn't care what she thought anymore because she was just jealous. James had overheard her and she was using the same tone she used every time she answered James when he asked her out. In a very 'I mean it' kind of way. And so far, she'd never accepted so he knew she did mean it. And the fact that she was lying to him made him feel a little hurt.

"You know you don't have to lie to me," he snapped. "You could have just said you didn't want to talk about it. That would have been fine!" Lily jumped back at his sudden outburst and then looked a bit guilty. This was the first time James had ever talked to her that way and it was true. She could have very well told him that she didn't want to talk about it but she had decided to lie and it actually made her feel bad for hurting James.

"I'm sorry…I just…" She sighed again, "Well, I have no excuse. I'm really sorry." His expression softened again and he gave her a small smile.

"It's all right. I understand. It's not like I don't lie myself. I overreacted." He held onto her wrist and began to pull her along so she would start moving again and they could get down to lunch.

Lily didn't understand it. She couldn't see how James could go from being angry to being understanding and taking blame for himself. It just didn't make sense to her. She shook her head and mumbled, "James Potter, you are an odd one."

James had heard, and he knew he wasn't supposed to but he heard anyway and he couldn't help that he heard. "Tm a what?" Lily looked up at him, surprised that he'd heard. I God I swear, he must have dog-ears or something. /I She shrugged and decided not to lie this time.

"You're odd." She said plainly as if that was obvious.

He laughed, "Well you're not Miss Normal yourself."

"I know that. I get told everyday when I'm home by Petunia that I'm an abnormal freak so I'm quite sure I know I'm not normal. It's just that I you /I are weirder."

He gasped as if that was the worst insult in the world. "I take offence to that Lily." He sniffed and wiped a fake tear away. "You really hurt my feelings, " he said in a mock sad tone before smirking.

"Doesn't seem that way to me." She looked at his smirk and shook her head. That smirk was all too familiar to her and it wasn't her favorite thing in the world about him. She'd gone back to crossing her arms and dazing out but before James had had a chance to bring it up again a loud smacking noise and a thud announce their arrival to the Great Hall. Apparently they had shut the large oak doors to the Great Hall as they thought everyone was at lunch and Lily had run straight into them.

Lily fell to the floor from the impact and was now laughing and clapping as a little leprechaun did an Irish jug in front of her. James looked down at her as if she'd just lost her mind. "Uh Lily, what the hell are you doing?"

Lily didn't bother to look up at him and continued clapping as she laughed out, "Don't you see the leprechaun. Isn't it just adorable." With that she fell over unconscious. James raised an eyebrow at her and then shook his head as he knelt down beside her. "Guess I'll have to be a little more later to lunch than I thought." He put his arms underneath her and then carried an unconscious Lily, bridal style, to the hospital wing. She lay helplessly in his arms, her head and arms dangly and slightly bobbing with every step.

He reached the Hospital Wing, kicked the slightly opened door all the way open, and stepped in with the knocked out Lily. Madam Pomfrey gasped and ran over to them. "What happened to her?" Then looking up at James she glared, "What trick did you and your friends play on her Mister Potter?!" James looked shocked that she would blame him but then, it wasn't so much of a surprise as the four of them always got blamed for anything bad happening here.

"I didn't do anything to her." He replied innocently, "She was dazed out and ran into the doors to the Great Hall causing her to see a leprechaun and then passing out." She glared at him one more time, "We'll see when she wakes up. Won't me Mister Potter?" He sighed as he walked over to the nearest bed and set her down on it. "That we will."

As he laid her down her red hair fanned out underneath her head on the pillow and her arms hung off the sides of the bed. James picked up her right arm and set it beside her and then did the same with her left. He looked down at her, slightly worried, but glad somehow. He sat down on a chair beside the bed and watched her.

Madam Pomfrey came hustling over and was surprised to see him still there. "What are you still doing here? Aren't you going to lunch?" James shook his head, not taking his eyes off Lily. "Not until she wakes up and can come with me." Madam Pomfrey rolled her eyes but James didn't see her. "She'll be up in about half an hour or so. By that time there will only be fifteen minutes left for lunch. So why don't you just go to lunch and I'll feed her here."

He shook his head again, "Nah, I'll eat here too. But I'm not leaving Lily." Madam Pomfrey stormed off mumbled something about stubborn hotheads, which James was sure Lily had called him at least once in his lifetime, and then came back shortly with a steaming, glopping, purple potion. She lifted Lily's head up, opened her mouth, and poured the steaming half-liquid into her mouth, forcing her to swallow it. When the potion was completely gone she laid Lily's head back down on the pillow.

Within a matter of minutes, Lily's eyes fluttered open and she looked around the room with a confused look on her face. When she spotted James she smiled, "'Ello Jimmy. Fancy seeing you here." James raised an eyebrow at her but didn't ask. Madam Pomfrey set a platter of assorted sandwiches and two goblets of never-ending pumpkin juice. James and Lily ate their lunch happily. Lily still looked confused and James kept looking at her with a raised eyebrow. Nevertheless they enjoyed their lunch even though Lily kept making these odd comments about 'Jimmy' and how nice he was or how handsome he looked.

A/N: My worst chapter yet I'd say. That's probably because I actually wrote this on the computer instead of on paper first like I usually do. Anywho, I've decided that I don't want to post my story on here anymore because it's much harder. So I'ved posted about 5 more chapters, and the first three, on My name is the same and the story's title is the same too. So if you want to read it you'll have to read it there. Thanks for all the reveiws and such.


End file.
